Car-coupling



(No Model.)

B. E. HERRINTON.

GAR COUPLING. No. 363,636. Patented May'24, 1887.

5. All/[M7272 Mun/[$55 66 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. HERRINTON, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO J. F.I-IERRIOK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,636, dated May 24,1887.

Application filed January 15, 1886. Serial No. 18$,683.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. HERRIN- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent andState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar- Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplers which couple by meansof hooks working automatically; and the object of my invention is toproduce an efficient, self'acting coupler which will enable the operatorto uncouple the same from the side of the cars. These objects Iaccomplish by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is an end view of a car to which mycoupling is applied, showing a perspective view of the coupling-hook andits attachment to the car. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the draw-barand one coupling-hook. sectional vertical view on line 00 x of Fig. 4,and Fig. 4 is a plan'view of the coupling and draw-bar with the upperportions in part removed in order to show the internal structure of thecoupling.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents a portion of the body of the car; B B, the bumper attachedto the drawbar D. One side of each bumper is provided with projectingears I I.

O O are coupling hooks hinged to the bumper by means of the bolt P,which bolt passes through the ears I I and the couplinghooks CO, hingingsaid hook to the bumper, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4-.

E is a lug or arm rigidly attached to the coupling-hook and at rightangles thereto.

The bolt I, together with the bolt-holes in the ear I, and coupling-hookO are inclined, as shown in Fig. 2, which causes the couplinghook toopen automatically by its own gravity when not locked in couplingposition.

T is a lock attached to the belt or rod L, which drops down into lockingposition by its own gravity, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The rod L issupported loosely in the bumper, so that it may be readily revolved orturned Fig. 3 is a (No model.)

a sufficient distance to bring the lug Tinto position forloekiug thecoupling'hook or for unlocking it.

L and L are two-rods attached to the rod L, as shown in Fig. 1. Each rodL is supported atone end by the hook O, and is bent so as to form thelever M at the side of the car.

The red I] has a slight longitudinal motion, and when desirable the lockT is turned out of locking position and moved so as to rest upon the topof. the lug H, whereit will remain until it is pushed back and dropsdown.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Let the couplinghooks beset in the position shown in Fig.1. Then let the cars be broughttogether and the book 0 of the other car strikes against the flange orarm E and drives it back, closing the hook attached thereto until thelock T drops down into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The hook oneach ear acts in the same way, and both are closed and lockedsimultaneously and automatically. To uncouple the cars, the rod L isturned, by means of the rod L and lever M, until the lock T is raised soas to clear the arm E, and the book 0 opens by its own gravity. Theuncoupling can be done with equal facility from either car or fromeither side of the cars.

In order to adapt my coupling device to the use of the link and pin, Icut out the recess R in the coupling-hook, as shown in Fig. l, andprovide the holcsS S for the ordinary coupling-pin.

WVhen the cars are uncoupled, the hook is held open by its gravity, sothat the hooks are always in position to couple automatically wheneverthe cars are brought together, or, if they should become closed, can beopened from the side of the cars.

The rods L L, resting in hooks or staples O 0, have a longitudinalmotion therein, and in case of the breaking of the draw-bar or otheraccident which may detach the coupling from the cars the rods L L arewithdrawn from the hooks O 0 without injury to the rods or any of theparts of the coupling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. In an automatic ear-couplingdevice, the

hinged hook 0, provided with the arm E, and

- hinged to the bumper by means of an inclined bolt, said hook adaptedto be closed and locked automatically, and when unlocked to swing openby its own gravity, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic ear-coupler, the combination, with a draw-head and acoupling hook pivoted thereto, of a rod passing loosely through thedraw-head and a block or lock rigidly secured to said rod and adapted tobe tilted rearwardly by the rod or by contact with the rearwardly-projecting portion of the couplinghook and to fall by gravity and lock thecoup ling-hook in closed adjustment, substantially asset forth.

3. In an automatic car-coupler, the lock T, supported on the rod L, incombination with the lug H, said rod L and lock T adapted to be raisedand moved longitudinally when raised into position to rest upon theupper surface of said lug, thereby keeping said lock out of lockingposition, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic car-coupler, the coupling-hook 0, provided with thearm E, in combination with'thehinge formed by the projecting ears I Iand inclined rest F and bolt 1?, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. The combination of the hook 0, provided with arm E, the inclined boltI, and the lock T, adapted to drop by its gravity into locking positionbetween the arm E and the side piece of the bumper, substantially asdescribed.

6. The following parts in combination, viz: the coupling-hook 0,provided with the arm E, the inclined bolt P, the lock T, the rod L, thelug H, the connecting-rods L L, and hooks O 0, all substantially asdescribed.

EDWARD HERRINTON.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD TAGGART, EDWARD B. Esoorr.

